A Conversation with Christopher Hitchens
Recently I have been reading the writings of the New Atheist writer Christopher Hitchens.
I would like to take a moment to explore a question that he poses in his book god is Not Great.
God is Not Great…?
In chapter 13 of his book Hitchens asks the question, “Does religion make people behave better?”
Courtesy of Stefan Kunze from Unsplash.com
Pointing to the failures of people with religious faith, Hitchens concludes that religion doesn’t make people behave better. In fact, he argues, religion makes people commit “sinister” acts. Hitchens points to the atrocities committed during the Balkan Wars in former Yugoslavia by predominantly Christian Serbians against predominantly Muslim Bosnians led by “Christian” dictator Slobodan Milosevic, the terrorist attacks on 9/11 committed by terrorists who were Muslim, and most recently the sexual abuse scandals committed by select Catholic priests.
Moreover, Hitchens proposes it wasn’t Martin Luther King Jr.’s Christian faith that led to the Civil Rights Movements. King was simply riding a wave of social change that has already begun in secular circles. As a final blow, Hitchens points out that King wasn’t that good of a person anyway. King’s struggle with alcohol and infidelity was no secret.
2 Problems with Hitchens’ Argument
Inconsistent Logic. Hitchen’s prided himself as a literary critique, yet in god is Not Great he fails to see the problem in his logic. His logic in chapter 13 is as follows:
Some people of religious faith do bad things, therefore all religion is bad.
If you don’t see the problem with this logic let me apply it to 2 examples:
- Joseph Stalin was an atheist. Joseph Stalin is responsible for the death of millions. Therefore, atheism is bad. Now this would only be true if atheist principles indeed promote killing. Such an argument is a great insult to folks who hold no religious belief. In fact, I know atheists who do a lot of selfless acts to promote justice in their communities.
- What if I made the opposite argument to Hitchens’s, but using his logic. Let’s try it: Mother Theresa is a Christian (religious person). She selflessly helped thousands living in poverty live a more dignified lives. Therefore, religion is good and makes people behave better.
If Hitchens applied his logic consistently and not selectively in his book then he would simply argue in circles. For every person of religious faith who commits sinister acts there is one (and often more) who does good acts. Similarly, for every atheist who does good things there is an atheist who does bad things.
Perhaps Hitchens knew the weakness of his logic. That is possibly why he didn’t point to any any people of religious faith who did good things throughout history. Nor did he point to any atheists who did terrible things throughout history.
Hitchens doesn’t prove that religion makes people do bad things. Instead, he affirms the Christian principle of Original Sin – the tendency for human persons to do bad things (independent of religious belief).
Grouping all Religions Together. The second mistake that Hitchens makes is that he speaks of all religion as if they are the same. This of course is not true. With the exception of Judaism and Christianity, the principles of religious beliefs vastly differ on God, spirituality, and human nature. There are even vast differences between Islam and the other two Abrahamic religions. Just read the Bible and Quran side by side and you will see that the two religions’ perception of God’s relation to humanity oppose each other.
It’s false logic to assume that all the religions of the world are fundamentally the same.
So…Can Christianity Make People Behave Better?
Absolutely! Does Christianity guarantee that all Christians will be good people? Nope.
First and foremost, it’s important to understand that Christianity is not a philosophy or a lifestyle. It is a relationship with a person, Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate. Like with any relationship, if you want it to bear fruits, you got to put the work in.
Striving for Sainthood
Being in a relationship with Jesus is about striving for sainthood. Jesus didn’t come to give us a pat on the back and make us feel nice and cozy. Nor did he come with the intention of telling us that we are bad people. He came so that we can live life to the fullest (see. John 10:10); to be the people that God created us to be. Jesus constantly challenges us to not settle for mediocrity. Look what he says to his disciples:
“ ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters,* what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:43-48).
Jesus is telling his disciples that anyone can do good things, but not anyone can do great things. Only a relationship with Jesus can guide us to real greatness, to sainthood.
In Conclusion…
So, does religion make people behave better? Maybe.
Perhaps Hitchens should have asked, “Does a relationship with Jesus makes people behave better?” I answer “yes.” Does being in a relationship with Jesus mean that people won’t ever fail to live up to His standards?
I won’t speak for others, but I fail on a consistent basis. That is the reality of sin. But Jesus gives me the wisdom and the humility to recognize sin for what it is and conquer it.
Am I saint? Far from it. The road to sainthood is a lifelong journey. Only once we come face to face with God will we know if we achieved it. But every day Jesus gives us the opportunity to take one step closer to that goal. What I can say is that I am a changed person from whom I was five years ago. I’ve learned to live life to the fullest.
Question. How do you decide if a belief system, religion, or philosophy is making you a better person?
